Justin Masterson, the last Indians player without a finalized contract for 2014, just settled on a one-year deal with the Tribe to avoid arbitration. As I mentioned before, Masterson requested a $11.8 million salary for this season, while the Indians countered with an $8.05 million offer. Reportedly, the deal is for $9.7625 million – just under the halfway mark between the two figures ($9.925 million). Any time you can avoid a contentious arbitration hearing, especially one where a player has to leave spring training and fly to said hearing, I’d mark it down as a victory. Coming to an agreement that seems fair to both sides is just icing on the cake.
As I’m sure everyone is aware by now, Masterson is a free agent after the 2014 season. While the Indians supposedly discussed a more long term deal with the right hander this offseason, the talks were eventually tabled without an agreement. While Masterson did eventually back off of his more pricey 2014 salary request, it remains to be seen whether or not he’d be willing to stay in Cleveland for a more long-term discount. (If I were a betting woman, I’d go with “no discounts”).
Throughout much of the offseason, teams were in a holding pattern waiting to see what happened with Masahiro Tanaka. He was this offseason’s “golden goose” as far as pitchers go, and teams went hard for him before they would consider settling for a consolation prize in the form of Ubaldo Jimenez or Ervin Santana. Jimenez finally has a home with the Orioles, while Santana is still waiting for a team with the first spring training game just over a week away. I thought the pieces would fall into place a bit faster after the Yankees nabbed Tanaka, but it seems as if teams were waiting for prices to drop. (Baltimore tried to ink Jimenez to a three year deal, before finally relenting on the fourth year).
Could Jimenez create his own mini-domino effect? Perhaps. Not necessarily with Santana, whose agent is trying to hold out for a comparable fourth year to any deal (which is nuts when you consider he originally thought he could get upwards of $100 million for the pitcher at the beginning of the offseason). The Orioles went from a quiet offseason, to actually having a few too many starters. I know the mantra typically goes “you can never have enough pitching” but you can face issues when too many of these pitchers are out of options.
Obviously Jimenez is guaranteed a spot in the rotation – you don’t hand out your longest ever deal for a starting pitcher (4 years/$50 million) and make him earn a spot in the rotation. Even if “bad Ubaldo” makes a reappearance, he’s not going anywhere. As Britt Ghiroli from MLB.com points out, spots are all but guaranteed (outside of an injury) for Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, and Miguel Gonzalez. So that leaves one spot left in the rotation, which could go to Bud Norris (acquired from Houston via trade last season), LHP Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, highly-touted rookie Kevin Gausman, and Suk-min Yoon, recently signed out of Korea.
Gausman can easily start the season at Triple-A Norfolk; in fact, one could make the argument that he needs a bit more seasoning in the minors anyway. Yoon could also start the season in Norfolk without penalty. However, Norris, Britton, and Matusz are all out of options, but could move to the bullpen. In December, Howard Bender at Fangraphs even theorized whether or not Norris could be the next closer for the Orioles. With Jim Johnson gone, and Grant Balfour’s aborted signing after a failed physical, the Orioles need someone for the ninth inning. Even if good Ubaldo is around this year, he tends to throw a lot of pitches; this often facilitated his exit around the fifth or sixth inning, even if he was pitching well. Perhaps the Orioles would feel more comfortable with a couple of long guys in their bullpen.
They could also look to trade one of Norris, Britton, or Matusz. The Indians were supposedly one of the teams really interested in Norris at the trade deadline last year, drawn by the fact that he was under team control through the 2015 season. Even though he was the highest paid player with the Astros last season, Norris made just $3 million; he negotiated a $5.3 million salary with the Orioles for 2014. Norris is not a spectacular pitcher, but would be serviceable at the back-end of a rotation and comes at a good price. The same could be said for Britton and Matusz.
Am I sitting around, clutching a lucky rabbit’s foot and wishing upon wishes that the Indians make a deal for one of these three? Not necessarily. But I’d be lying if I said the old “you can never have enough pitching” saying hasn’t been rattling around in my brain this winter. Having too many options, as the Orioles are suddenly aware, is never a bad thing.
Bud Norris in the 5 spot would not suck, at all. Nothing flashy, but a decent, dependable starter who would give you six innings consistently. A modern day Paul Byrd, if you may.
$5.3 million for bud norris? pass. i don’t think he’s any better than the flotsam we already have battling for the 5 spot already.
maybe i should add another “already” in there somewhere. think i’m a little short.
Bud Norris could reasonably be counted on to give us around 30 starts with an ERA around 4 to 4.25.
I cannot say the same about Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer or any other of the cast of thousands who are competing for the #5 spot.
I’m not banging the proverbial drum to trade for him, but if it happened, in my opinion the Indians would be a better team for it.
i’m not sure if the #4 spot is even solid…
We have 4 solid starters…who aren’t you sure about? Salazar’s youth? Because McAllister and Kluber are solid.
salazar is a wild card for me. i think it would be premature to pencil him at #4 with the extremely limited body of work he’s displayed. when he’s on, i absolutely love watching him. he’s thrilling. i am concerned with his endurance and his accuracy. i want to be wrong about him and see him move to #2. ideally, he can be an ace but i think the jury is out. i am also concerned that after this year we are not going to have a bonafide ace.
I am very relieved that they settled with Masterson. However, I wonder why they were not willing to meet him halfway on a settlement.
Anyone else wonder why the Indians went practically a generation without going to arbitration, then out of nowhere nearly went to arbitration this year with a handful of guys?
Good question, Sean. I think it was a combination of the team trying to stretch every dollar in the budget and players submitting inflated arbitration figures expecting the team to settle at the mid-point to avoid a hearing and keep the streak going.
i think the oblique injury may have cemented some questions/concerns with masterson’s delivery? personally, i’ve moved from the “have to keep at all costs” to “meh” column with respect to masterson. i would try and sign up for 4 years max and then try to move him so we can get something. worst case scenario is that you have him for 4 years which is a problem that i’m sure most teams would like to have
now with bailey signing, i would say all bets are off and that masty hits FA after this year
Hate to say it, but you are probably right.
I love Masterson, but I can’t say I’d be comfortable with the Indians giving him a 6 year, $100 mill contract.
It will take at least 5 years and probably 6 to sign Masterson given his age and durability. As for the oblique injury, it is very common among pitchers. Sabathia had one with the Indians, as did Cliff Lee. That’s a nonfactor. If anything, Masterson came back from his injury faster and stronger than Lee did. Lee basically lost the entire 2007 season, which was horrible timing by the way.
i hope you’re right. i hate being a debbie downer
Masterson – a solid number 2.
Salazar – an exiting prospect with ace like stuff, but still a somewhat unknown commodity without a full mlb season under his belt.
kluber – the definition of a number 3 starter. Has games where he’s great and other games where he scuffles. A real competitor. Underrated.
McAllister – a back end guy who has shown flashes of being decent. Underwhelming.
Carrasco – if his head matched his arm he’d win a cy young. The stuff is there, he just needs to put it all together. Has had stretches of effectiveness before his surgery. Out of options.
Other 5th starter candidates:
Tomlin – good control. Limits walks. Upside is also limited.
Marcum – good when healthy. Its the “when healthy” part that is the problem.
Bauer – the wild card. If the light comes on and he starts pitching like the stud he was in college – look out. He was a top prospect for a reason. I keep thinking how long it took cliff lee to figure things out and keep hoping of a similar outcome for Bauer.
Harang – dear god no.
My only concern with Salazar is durability. That may be an irrational worry, since they’ve been pretty careful with him thus far.